A paddle style handle assembly is provided for an RV, emergency vehicle or utility vehicle door or compartment. The assembly includes a housing and pivotal paddle which form a paddle module. The assembly also includes an ornamental bezel. The paddle module and bezel are compression mounted from the interior and exterior sides of a door panel, respectively, so that the panel is sandwiched between the paddle module and the bezel. The housing includes screw holders with molded flash membranes to hold screws prior to assembly on the door panel. The housing includes pockets formed around the paddle axle for receipt of gaskets to inhibit water infiltration. A counterbalance and a power lock actuator may be provided on the paddle module.
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1. A handle assembly for a vehicle door having a door panel with opposite interior and exterior sides, and the panel having an opening, the handle assembly comprising:
a paddle housing mountable on the interior side of the door panel, and having a recessed well;
a paddle pivotally mounted on the housing and extending outwardly through the panel opening so as to be actuable from the exterior side of the panel;
a ring-shaped exterior trim bezel mountable on the exterior side of the panel and extending around the panel opening, so as to sandwich the panel between the paddle housing and the trim bezel and having an open area through which a user can insert their fingers into the well to pull the paddle;
the bezel having opposite front and back sides, and the bezel having a plurality of bosses; and
a gasket having holes through which the bosses extend for mounting the gasket on the back side of the bezel, with the bezel engaging a front surface of the gasket.
2. The handle assembly of
3. The handle assembly of
4. The handle assembly of
5. The handle assembly of
6. The handle assembly of
8. The handle assembly of
9. The handle assembly of
10. The improved handle assembly of
11. The improved handle assembly of
12. The handle assembly of
13. The improved handle assembly of
14. The improved handle assembly of
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Paddle style handle assemblies for recreational vehicles, emergency vehicles, utility vehicles, and similar doors and compartments are well known. Conventional handle assemblies include a housing with a pivotal paddle mounted thereon, with the housing and paddle being installed in a hole or cutout in the door from the front or exterior of the door. This construction requires the housing and associated brackets and pivot plates to be rotated and turned to fit through the handle opening of the door panel, and then secured to the door via screws extending from the back or inside of the door. This installation of prior art handle assemblies is awkward and time consuming, and therefore adds to the overall cost of the vehicle.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved handle assembly for doors and compartments in recreational vehicles, emergency vehicles, utility vehicles, and the like.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a two piece compression mount door handle assembly.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a two-piece paddle handle assembly wherein the housing and paddle are installed from the back of the door panel or skin.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a two piece paddle handle assembly having an exterior bezel and an interior housing which are installed in a door opening via a compression mount.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved two-piece paddle housing assembly which allows for quick and easy change out of an exterior trim piece.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved two-piece paddle-style door handle with screw holes having molded flash to hold screws in place for faster installation of the handle to a door.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved handle assembly having a housing with axle holes for pivotal paddle, with molded pockets around the axle holes to receive gaskets to reduce water infiltration.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a two piece handle assembly having an escutcheon with a recessed pocket for retaining a gasket to minimize moisture migration.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved paddle handle assembly having a counterbalance weight for entrance door applications to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 206 for Door locks and door retention components for Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, and Trucks.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved door handle which can be easily connected to a power actuator for power locking and unlocking.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved paddle style door handle assembly which is economical to manufacture, and durable and safe in use.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.
The handle assembly of the present invention has a two piece construction for quick and easy mounting on the door or compartment of an RV, emergency vehicle or utility vehicle. The handle includes a paddle module comprising a housing with a paddle pivotally mounted therein for actuating the door latch. The paddle module is installed from the back or interior side of the door panel or skin. A decorative bezel is installed from the front or exterior side of the door panel. The housing and bezel are compression fit on opposite sides of the door panel using screws extending from the interior side of the panel. A thin flash membrane or ridge is diecast across the screw holes in the housing so that the screws can be pushed through the membrane or ridge prior to installation and thereby hold the screws and thereby minimize installation time. The rear side of the bezel has a perimeter gasket to inhibit moisture migration between the bezel and the door panel. The axle holes in the housing for the pivotal paddle include molded pockets for receiving gaskets to reduce and inhibit water infiltration through the axle holes. An escutcheon on the housing also includes a diecast recess to receive a gasket to preclude or reduce moisture penetration. A counterbalance is provided on the rear of the housing. A power locking actuator can be quickly and easily added to the paddle module for power locking and unlocking of the door lock.
The handle assembly of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 in the drawings. The handle assembly 10 includes two primary components, the paddle module 12 and bezel 14. As best seen in
The paddle module 12 includes a housing 19 having a pivotal handle 20 which extends through an opening 22 in the door panel 18 for actuation by a person on the outside of the door. The paddle 20 can be grasped by the fingers of a person and pulled outwardly to release or disengage the door latch when the handle assembly 10 is not locked. The paddle 20 is spring biased so as to return to a neutral position, as shown in the drawings, when the paddle 20 is released by a person. The paddle 20 and the associated linkage arms 24, 26 on the rear of the housing 12 may have a free float connection wherein the paddle 20 will pivot or pull outwardly even when the door lock is in a locked position, or alternatively, may be a non-free float or locked rigid connection so that the paddle 20 is fixed against movement when the door lock is locked.
The housing 19 includes a plurality of bosses or screw holders 28 spaced along the perimeter edge of the housing 19. Preferably, the housing 19 is diecast zinc. During the casting process, a thin zinc ridge or flash 30 extends across each screw holder 28. Prior to installation of the handle assembly 10 on the door panel 18, the screws 16 can be pressed through the thin flash 30 for retention in the screw holders 28. This ability to retain the screws 16 and the screw holes 28 expedites the assembly time for the paddle model 12 and bezel 14 and eliminates problems of dropped screws.
The bezel 14 includes a decorative front surface 32 and a plurality of bosses 34 formed on the rear or backside of the bezel 14 during the bezel molding, process. The bosses 34 extend through holes 35 in a gasket 36 so as to form an integrated unit or assembly prior to installation of the housing 12 and bezel 14 on the door panel 18. This integration of the bezel 12 and gasket 36 expedites the assembly process by eliminating the need to handle two separate components on the front or exterior side of the door panel 18 during installation of the handle assembly 10. The gasket 36 resides between the bezel 14 and the front surface of the door panel 18 so as to prevent or inhibit moisture migration between the bezel 14 and the door panel 18. The gasket has an outer perimeter bead 37 which extends around the bezel 14. The bezel also has a molded rib 39 on the back side to engage the gasket 36. The housing also has a rib 41 to enhance the seal of the gasket 36, as seen in
The paddle 20 is pivotally mounted to the housing 19 by an axle 38 extending through holes in opposite sides 40 of the housing 19 and through spaced apart legs 42 on the paddle 20, as best seen in
The housing 19 of the handle module 12 is also provided with a counterbalance or weight 48 so as to comply with the National Highway and Traffic Safety Association Regulations, when necessary. The counterweight 48 is supported on the housing 12 by brackets 50, as seen in
The handle assembly 10 is also adapted to be quickly and easily connected to a power actuator 52 so as to provide power locking and unlocking of the associated door lock. As seen in
When the handle assembly 10 is used as an exterior door handle, the paddle module 12 may be provided with a key cylinder 56 mounted in a recess 58 molded in the housing 19. When the handle assembly 10 is used as an interior handle, a knob 64 is provided on the paddle module for locking and unlocking the assembly 10.
The bezel 14 can be selected from multiple bezels having different colors, finishes, and ornamental designs, so as to allow an individual customer to customize the exterior appearance of the handle assembly 10. Thus, the design and configuration of the paddle module 12 can remain constant while the design and appearance of the bezel 14 can be selectively interchanged.
The bezel 14 and housing 12 are keyed so as to assemble in only one orientation. More particularly, the bosses 28 at the upper and lower ends of the housing have different shapes, as do the bosses 34 on the upper and lower ends of the bezel 14, as seen in
The two piece compression assembly of the paddle module 12 and bezel 14 provides for easier installation on the door panel 18, and provides better clamping force between the paddle module 12 and the bezel 14 so as to inhibit water infiltration through the opening of the door panel 18.
The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.
Root, David L., Everett, Alexander C., Burns, Jayden F., Bearman, Jennifer L.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Jul 13 2012 | Trimark Corporation | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Aug 01 2012 | BURNS, JAYDEN F | Trimark Corporation | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 028814 | /0400 | |
Aug 01 2012 | ROOT, DAVID L | Trimark Corporation | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 028814 | /0400 | |
Aug 01 2012 | EVERETT, ALEXANDER C | Trimark Corporation | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 028814 | /0400 | |
Aug 01 2012 | BEARMAN, JENNIFER L | Trimark Corporation | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 028814 | /0400 |
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